Page 106 of Contention

Annoyed, Kara grouses, “Gale…”

“Oh, stop! I know you’re tough. But I prefer supporting you and helping you to be the best and most successful you can possibly be. I feel strongly about young female professionals, you know.”

Kara is well aware; she’s heard this so many times before. It’s touching, but she isn’t in the mood.

“I called for another reason. I wanted to invite you to a party at our office. Kind of a big happy hour gathering. I’d like to see you and catch up. Especially considering-” Gale pauses suddenly.

“Considering what?”

Gale sighs tiredly. “Dieter.”

The name makes Kara’s stomach flip unexpectedly, even through the vodka buzz she already has going. Impressive. “If you’re asking me for him, I’m absolutely, unequivocallynotgoing. He’s horrid.”

“That’s why I want to see you. We need to talk.” The serious tone in Gale’s voice makes Kara freeze.

She has bigger problems haunting her now, bigger problems than Dietrich. Pursing her lips, Kara says, “I’ll think on it.”

“Thanks, dear. Get some rest, don’t beat yourself up about this case. We all lose a few times. The real strength is being able to stand back up and fight another day.”

After she hangs up the phone, Kara sits on her couch and stares blankly out the window, her mind already back on darker things. Her father. The corner he’s shoved her into. How he’s effortlessly weaseled his way back into her life with a terrible threat.

She’s always known his vices. The alcohol. The gambling. The rage and the fights.

She should have never cosigned on anything with him. Not even to get him out of her hair.

If he goes down, she goes down with him, because all his debts will shift over to her. Stress, horrible, crushing stress bears down on her. Kara’s chest hurts, her heart pounding so hard. He wants her to help him, pro-bono. Of course! But she’s no good, as it were. Look at the case she just lost.

That’s not your fault though. You aren’t bad, Gale said so!

Despair creeps into Kara, reminding her that she’ll never be free of Charlie Hayes. Not until one of them is dead.

Sickly, she wonders if that’s why her mother slit her own wrists up and down like a butcher’s delight, leaving a gothic horror all over her kitchen floor.

To escape him and his memory.

Chapter 26

It’s days later when Bianca walks through her front door, dropping a duffle bag on the floor unceremoniously. She’s wearing leggings that hug her shapely legs and a long shirt on top. Her scarlet hair is cut into a fashionable bob and Kara stares, blinking.

“What did you do to your hair?” It’s the only thing Kara can think of saying and it comes out as a croak. This is an unexpected visit.

The redhead gives her a strange look and shuts the door behind her, locking it. “My hair? Who cares about my hair, what did you do to your face? Have you been crying?”

Yes.

Kara rubs at her face, “No. I didn’t realize you were coming over.”

Her oldest friend gives her a suspicious look. “You’ve been ignoring my texts and I’m beginning to wonder what’s going on with you.”

Hackles raising, getting defensive immediately, Kara flashes her eyes at her. “Nothing is going on with me.”Aside from my whole life blowing up in my face.

With a suspicious look, Bianca goes to rummage about in her kitchen. Kara frowns, rubbing at her eyes. “What the hell are you looking for?”

“The alcohol,” Bianca replies waspishly.

“I don’t have any.”

“Bullshit. What’s this then?” Her friend is holding up an empty bottle of vodka, pulled from her recycling basket. Bianca’s eyes are narrowed in betrayal. “You told me you weren’t doing this at home alone!”

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